We continue our look at the busy festival season in the area.

This weekend, you've got plenty of choices.

Country Singer James Otto performs at Down Home Days in Chickamauga.

His show starts at 8:00 in downtown Chickamauga.

Also the Evening Shade concerts open a new season Friday night in Cleveland.

Bradley Central's Choir, Maximum Velocity will perform, along with Walker Valley's Jazz Band and the Dixie Pride Band.

The show begins at 6:30 at Johnson Park in downtown Cleveland.  And It's free.

Now the two major music festivals this weekend.

The Boxcar Pinion Memorial Bluegrass Festival

May 1-3, Raccoon Mtn Campground

http://www.boxcarforeverbluegrass.com/

Hopefully, you know of the great contribution folks like Fletcher Bright, Bill McCallie and the Dismembered Tennesseans have made to Bluegrass music in the Tennessee Valley.

But the Pinion family isn't far behind, fanning the flames for a new generation here.

Everytime you see a Bluegrass Forever bumper sticker around here, you know someone has run into a Pinion.

This is the festival they put together several years ago to honor their father, and they consistently deliver some fo the best talent we're going to see here.

Here is the full schedule for Thursday-Saturday. 

But here are some highlights:

The Dismembered Tennesseans

Thurs. 9:30

Sat. 12:15

They're local and they're everywhere once the weather warms up.  But if you're new to town, you need to check them out.

Bobby Osborne

Friday 4:15

Friday 9:15

A true legend in the business.  As an Osborne Brother, he gave us Rocky Top and other classics.  Now that his brother has retired, Bobby is spreading the Bluegrass Gospel to new generations.  So far this year, we've seen several Hall of Famers play in our area (Jackson Browne, B.B. King, Robert Plant).  Bobby Osborne is in their league.  Here he is with his Rocky Top Express.

The Country Gentlemen

Friday 3:15

Friday 8:15

Randy Waller continues the band his father formed in the fifties (the celebrated their 50th anniversary last year).  Many call them the first "Progressive" group.  Over the years, they gave us Doyle Lawson, Ricky Skaggs and Jerry Douglas.

Dailey and Vincent

Saturday 3:15

Saturday 8:00

Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent paid their dues with Doyle Lawson and Ricky Skaggs.  Now they're branching out on their own.  Their debut album is taking the Bluegrass world by storm, keeping the traditional "brother" act alive.  After hearing them harmonize on my X-M radio, this is the show I'm looking forward to the most.  Here is a video log of their debut on the Grand Ole Opry at the end of last year.

IIIrd Tyme Out

Saturday 5:15

Saturday 10:00

This much celebrated group (7 time IBMA Vocal Band of the Year) formed in 1991 and Russel Moore is keeping the flame alive with the current lineup.  Here is a clip of the group picking off stage at the Boxcar Pinion Festival a couple of years ago.

Roots Fest

May 2-4, Cherokee Farms on Old Mineral Springs Road in LaFayette, GA.

http://www.roots-fest.com/

This is a weekend jamfest involving local and regional bands.  Everybody who is anybody on the local scene will be there.  You can get the entire roster of acts at the website.  But three of the groups have been featured by Tobias Parrish in the Scenic City Scene.  So check them out here.

The Molly Maguires

Dubconcious

Microdahts

Check out this week's Scenic City Scene (every Thursday on News 12 or here on line) for much more on Roots Fest.